


A Late Night at the Blue & Gold

by dreamersshouldknowbetter



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-26 17:47:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10791609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamersshouldknowbetter/pseuds/dreamersshouldknowbetter
Summary: It's been a long night, and Betty seems to be having a tough time





	A Late Night at the Blue & Gold

“Betty, go home.” Jughead leaned forward on his desk, his concerned eyes stretching across the room in an attempt to reach the blonde girl as she stared at her computer.

“It’s fine, I’m fine, I’m not even tired.” Betty insisted, shaking her head in an attempt to jolt some life back into her body. “This article needs to be finished, I have to get it done.”

Jughead sighed. He knew Betty had been dealing with a lot lately, and he could see it was all taking its toll on her. Her ponytail was less perky than usual, her eyes less full of light. And now here she was, working herself to death over an article that didn’t even need to be finished until the end of the week.

“Betty, you’re barely keeping your eyes open.” Jughead stood up from his desk and crossed over to the couch to join Betty where she sat. “At least take a break.”

“I can’t slow down, if I slow down I’ll fall asleep.” Betty muttered as her eyes raced across her screen, refusing to meet Jughead’s gaze.

“I thought you said you weren’t tired?” He raised his eyebrows with a smirk, knowing he’d caught her. She rolled her eyes to meet his, admitting defeat with a subtle sigh. 

“Betty,” Jughead’s voice took on a more serious tone, “the article can wait. You need to stop.”

Betty shot him a look of frustration, but her expression quickly softened at the genuine concern in his eyes. “I just… I can’t stop Jug. I have to complete this. It has to be perfect, it has to be done, I need it to be done…” Betty’s voice cracked and faltered, emotions welling up in her throat.

Without another word Jughead reached over and plucked Betty’s computer from her lap, saving the article she had been working so tirelessly on and then closing it shut. Betty sat up a bit straighter as if considering a protest, but her exhaustion got the better of her. Choosing instead to lean her head onto Jughead’s shoulder, Betty closed her eyes and sighed, sinking deep into his side. After a few moments of silence, she spoke.

“It’s just that…” Betty’s voice came out quiet and trembling, “that this is all I can do. All I can control. I need to keep writing. The Blue and Gold is the one stable thing I’ve got in my life right now.”

“Hey,” Jughead took Betty’s chin in his hands, lifting her head and making a point to capture her eyes with his, “the Blue and Gold isn’t the only thing you’ve got. You’ve got Veronica, Kevin, Archie… and you’ve got me.” 

The intensity in Jughead’s eyes caused Betty’s breath to stop short, and it was as if everything inside of her suddenly stilled. Suddenly aware of her exhaustion, Betty melted into Jughead, allowing herself to become completely entangled in his arms.

“Juggie?” Her voice came out soft and breathy.

“Yeah Bets?”

“Thank you.”

“Anything for you, Juliet.” 

With those final words, Jughead leaned forward and softly planted his lips on Betty’s forehead, the warmth of the kiss washing over her. She closed her eyes and leaned further into Jughead’s body, slowly drifting off into the first restful sleep she had experienced in weeks.


End file.
